Home repair help now on the horizon for Lancaster woman

LANCASTER, Texas – Many contractors and concerned community members have been contacting WFAA-TV’s newsroom after watching Beatrice Stevenson’s story. She is the 82-year-old widow whose home remains in serious disrepair after a tornado hit the place more than five years ago.

Good Samaritans began stepping up to begin helping the woman with repairs to her home on Wednesday.

“You just know that God has answered your prayers,” Stevenson cried as she sat in a corner of her home on Thursday morning. She was overwhelmed with emotion as a group of community members and contractors came inside asking how they could help.

“This is totally unacceptable,” said Ernest Walker as he began touring the woman’s home. “There’s exposed wiring. There’s open-ended wiring there. It’s just sad that they left her in this type of situation.”

The Good Samaritans are among those people who were disappointed seeing Stevenson’s home remains in a state of disaster after five years. When a tornado damaged the place in 2012, contractors came in. Stevenson says they never finished the job she paid them to do.

“Oh, but I thank god,” Stevenson shouted as the community members entered her home offering help. “I thank him because I know he will answer prayers.”

Stevenson had to move back into her house three months ago. She is living without utilities, and roughing it in her living room. That is why compassionate community members are showing up now.

"Our immediate need is to get this electricity on and to try and get the walls covered, so that she can get warm and get her a bedroom, without her having to sleep in a chair in the front room of her house,” Walker said.

The concerned community members are now mobilizing contractors to assess Stevenson’s home. They are calling on other tradesmen to volunteer their time and skills.

Local police sergeant Alvin Johnson says something like this should have never happened to Mrs. Stevenson.

“It’s a form of bullying in my opinion,” Johnson explained, “…because you are harping on, or taking advantage of someone you think does not have the mental capacity to understand the game that you are playing.”

Stevenson says words cannot express her gratitude. “You know, at times, I didn’t know which way to turn,” she explained.

The community organizers are well aware a number of people are asking how they can help fix up Stevenson’s home. “We are not going to stop until this gets done,” Walker said.

The group is asking contractors to show up at Stevenson’s house at noon on Thursday, Dec. 7. They are planning to begin organizing logistics. Community members interested in volunteering their time and skills may contact Sergeant Johnson at (469) 767-4780 or Minister Ernest Walker at (214) 704-1752.